Accident On Chaofah Last Week

[notbritish]

What happened in the aftermath? i saw a white honda city driven by a young foreigner and a big black skidmark on the right side of his car and a barely alive thai driver far away and a broken up modded motorbike. From what i could see, the farang drove away from the gas station and was stopped in the middle of oncoming traffic(with or without traffic on its way) and the motorbike decided that the car should move and let him pass, or tried to go around the front of the car instead of slowing down half a sec. There is no way the car was going more than 10km/h, no break marks and he was stopped before the yellow line. Wondering who got blamed, i have asked around what happens if a motorbike drives directly into you, if its still your fault simply because you have the car

[jjjetski]

Hey.

Was this right at the little soi exit after the new gas station (whose signs are blocking the view) ?? White Honda City??

[notbritish]

yeah, but he wasnt on the exit, he was right in the middle of the street a few CM's before the lane going south.

[katabeachbum]

OP, you dont usually get the blame if you are not in the wrong. But as motocy has no Insurance and most motocy riders are unable to pay for the damages, you should have a 1st class Insurance to cover your car.

When an accident occurs, call Insurance asap, and they deal with it all. Do not admit to be in fault, but leave all talking to your Insurance

[notbritish]

can you get in trouble if the crazy motorbike driver is dead though?

and what if they were both equally responsible and he's dead or paralyzed

[katabeachbum]

can you get in trouble if the crazy motorbike driver is dead though?

and what if they were both equally responsible and he's dead or paralyzed

involved in a mortal accident, you go to jail or post bail 200k baht. 1st class Insurance includes 200k bail bond, make sure Insurance docs copy is in the car.

In an accident with a motocy there will often appear roadside witnesses stating car driver is to blame, even with Thai car drivers. It is important to call Insurance asap and admit nothing, as your Insurance will work hard to not have to pay 1 mill baht (limit) for the casualty ++

If involved in a hit and run with motocy, always go to nearest Police station asap to report what happend and you where not to blame, IOW the bike hit you while you where standing still. Before the biker reports otherwise

[LivinginKata]

involved in a mortal accident, you go to jail or post bail 200k baht. 1st class Insurance includes 200k bail bond, make sure Insurance docs copy is in the car.

But you would still have to wait in police cell until the insurance company arrange the bail bond.

[paulbrun]

It happened to me, although no fatalities, luckily. I was waiting to turn right off a main road, into a parking area and a motorbike came up very fast, on the inside of the traffic coming the other way, and went straight into the front of my car. Both parties on the bike were injured, neither was wearing a helmet, and they had no insurance etc. The police arrived, and an ambulance, and I was interviewed about what had happened. There were other witnesses, but they took off while I was seeing if I could help the injured. In the end, I was seen to be at fault, and charged with driving without due care and attention..! I had to pay for the bike repairs, hospital bills and loss of income for the girl on the back of the bike. I did not have first class insurance on that vehicle, so it cost me 30,000 baht. The police were very polite and admitted that it was mostly down to the way they were driving. It is almost always the LARGER vehicle that pays, especially if driven by a 'rich' farang..? Best advice is to take 1st class insurance, if you can afford to, and always drive defensively. In retrospect, I should not have attempted to turn right across heavy traffic, at that time of day and should have continued on and done a U-turn somewhere..? I was unlucky that day, I guess.

[Valentine]

It happened to me, although no fatalities, luckily. I was waiting to turn right off a main road, into a parking area and a motorbike came up very fast, on the inside of the traffic coming the other way, and went straight into the front of my car. Both parties on the bike were injured, neither was wearing a helmet, and they had no insurance etc. The police arrived, and an ambulance, and I was interviewed about what had happened. There were other witnesses, but they took off while I was seeing if I could help the injured. In the end, I was seen to be at fault, and charged with driving without due care and attention..! I had to pay for the bike repairs, hospital bills and loss of income for the girl on the back of the bike. I did not have first class insurance on that vehicle, so it cost me 30,000 baht. The police were very polite and admitted that it was mostly down to the way they were driving. It is almost always the LARGER vehicle that pays, especially if driven by a 'rich' farang..? Best advice is to take 1st class insurance, if you can afford to, and always drive defensively. In retrospect, I should not have attempted to turn right across heavy traffic, at that time of day and should have continued on and done a U-turn somewhere..? I was unlucky that day, I guess.

I always consider this to be a dangerous situation. A polite motorist will stop to allow you to make the turn but those coming up on the inside do not take this into consideration (cannot see, don't think why the other car is stopping) & just keep on coming. If ever making a turn like this in heavy traffic take it slow & always check what's coming along the inside of the stopped car.

[katabeachbum]

It happened to me, although no fatalities, luckily. I was waiting to turn right off a main road, into a parking area and a motorbike came up very fast, on the inside of the traffic coming the other way, and went straight into the front of my car. Both parties on the bike were injured, neither was wearing a helmet, and they had no insurance etc. The police arrived, and an ambulance, and I was interviewed about what had happened. There were other witnesses, but they took off while I was seeing if I could help the injured. In the end, I was seen to be at fault, and charged with driving without due care and attention..! I had to pay for the bike repairs, hospital bills and loss of income for the girl on the back of the bike. I did not have first class insurance on that vehicle, so it cost me 30,000 baht. The police were very polite and admitted that it was mostly down to the way they were driving. It is almost always the LARGER vehicle that pays, especially if driven by a 'rich' farang..? Best advice is to take 1st class insurance, if you can afford to, and always drive defensively. In retrospect, I should not have attempted to turn right across heavy traffic, at that time of day and should have continued on and done a U-turn somewhere..? I was unlucky that day, I guess.

I always consider this to be a dangerous situation. A polite motorist will stop to allow you to make the turn but those coming up on the inside do not take this into consideration (cannot see, don't think why the other car is stopping) & just keep on coming. If ever making a turn like this in heavy traffic take it slow & always check what's coming along the inside of the stopped car.

ridning a bike I never try to make a right turn on a fast (60 kmh upwards) 4 lane. Simply to risky. Continue to make a u-turn where provided for it, or pull over on the left shoulder to wait for 4 lanes to clear

and yes, the car gets the blame, Thai or foreign driver, unless you can provide witnesses you where in right, IOW standing still

If you cant afford a 1st class insurance, at least get a proper 3rd party Insurance with bailbond. The compulsory Insurance covers close to nothing. Thaivisainsurance.com can help, and it is not expensive

[LivinginKata]

It is almost always the LARGER vehicle that pays, especially if driven by a 'rich' farang..?

Yes, this is the 'custom' here in Thailand. But it's not necessarily the law. And what can you do if someone hits your vehicle and they have no money to pay. Sure you could send them off to jail but that does not pay the damage. I had a case where the Thai guy was wrong, he had no money to pay my vehicle's repair, police asked what I wanted to do, option was to send him to jail or give him time to make monthly payments. He did pay the first month payment, then he disappeared. Police took no action to find him, what a surprise ....

[notbritish]

It happened to me, although no fatalities, luckily. I was waiting to turn right off a main road, into a parking area and a motorbike came up very fast, on the inside of the traffic coming the other way, and went straight into the front of my car. Both parties on the bike were injured, neither was wearing a helmet, and they had no insurance etc. The police arrived, and an ambulance, and I was interviewed about what had happened. There were other witnesses, but they took off while I was seeing if I could help the injured. In the end, I was seen to be at fault, and charged with driving without due care and attention..! I had to pay for the bike repairs, hospital bills and loss of income for the girl on the back of the bike. I did not have first class insurance on that vehicle, so it cost me 30,000 baht. The police were very polite and admitted that it was mostly down to the way they were driving. It is almost always the LARGER vehicle that pays, especially if driven by a 'rich' farang..? Best advice is to take 1st class insurance, if you can afford to, and always drive defensively. In retrospect, I should not have attempted to turn right across heavy traffic, at that time of day and should have continued on and done a U-turn somewhere..? I was unlucky that day, I guess.

Well if that is the case you were definitely kind of at fault there. If the traffic was coming and you were just driving in the middle of the two lanes waiting for an opening, this is a NONO and is as bad as turning into traffic and going 5km/h. You stay in the small soi until there is no 1 coming on either side of the road or you do a u-turn later. just jumping in the middle of 2lanes waiting for an opening is crazy, that space was not put there for that. Although its perfectly fine if its backed up and people are just stop and going very slowly.

Surprised they survived with no helmet.. Buddha must like them

Edited April 14, 2011 by notbritish

[katabeachbum]

It is almost always the LARGER vehicle that pays, especially if driven by a 'rich' farang..?

Yes, this is the 'custom' here in Thailand. But it's not necessarily the law. And what can you do if someone hits your vehicle and they have no money to pay. Sure you could send them off to jail but that does not pay the damage. I had a case where the Thai guy was wrong, he had no money to pay my vehicle's repair, police asked what I wanted to do, option was to send him to jail or give him time to make monthly payments. He did pay the first month payment, then he disappeared. Police took no action to find him, what a surprise ....

if a car is hit by a bike, the cars 1st class Insurance will try to get some money from the biker. But they will not bring the biker to court due to the costs, and the most likely result, no more money despite a win in court. However if the biker is farang, Insurance will make Police lock him up until payed, as they know a farang is always able to find money to avoid being in jail

[kathukid]

If you drive from Ha Yek (Chalong Circle to Big C and back it is likely you'll see a good one. I see them all the time near to the Rawai Lotus...Wither side and mostly due to people drigin in reverse! That's why I drive a HiLux Vigo with a big after market bumper.. Sor like a cattle catcher... it is stronger than tghe force of weight of a motorbike..... Good design

[paulbrun]

It happened to me, although no fatalities, luckily. I was waiting to turn right off a main road, into a parking area and a motorbike came up very fast, on the inside of the traffic coming the other way, and went straight into the front of my car. Both parties on the bike were injured, neither was wearing a helmet, and they had no insurance etc. The police arrived, and an ambulance, and I was interviewed about what had happened. There were other witnesses, but they took off while I was seeing if I could help the injured. In the end, I was seen to be at fault, and charged with driving without due care and attention..! I had to pay for the bike repairs, hospital bills and loss of income for the girl on the back of the bike. I did not have first class insurance on that vehicle, so it cost me 30,000 baht. The police were very polite and admitted that it was mostly down to the way they were driving. It is almost always the LARGER vehicle that pays, especially if driven by a 'rich' farang..? Best advice is to take 1st class insurance, if you can afford to, and always drive defensively. In retrospect, I should not have attempted to turn right across heavy traffic, at that time of day and should have continued on and done a U-turn somewhere..? I was unlucky that day, I guess.

Well if that is the case you were definitely kind of at fault there. If the traffic was coming and you were just driving in the middle of the two lanes waiting for an opening, this is a NONO and is as bad as turning into traffic and going 5km/h. You stay in the small soi until there is no 1 coming on either side of the road or you do a u-turn later. just jumping in the middle of 2lanes waiting for an opening is crazy, that space was not put there for that. Although its perfectly fine if its backed up and people are just stop and going very slowly.

Surprised they survived with no helmet.. Buddha must like them

Perhaps I should explain a bit more clearly. It was rush hour early morning, and the traffic was backed up at some traffic lights. It is a very busy road, but only two lanes. I needed to turn right into a parking lot, and the car next to the entrance, on the other side, backed up slightly to allow an opening big enough for me to pass through. As I edged forward very slowly, the motorbike came up on the inside of the stationary traffic coming the other way, and went straight into the front of my car. He had nowhere to go, and was going far too fast to brake in time. I really had no option but to wait to turn right at that place, as continuing on and trying to U-turn would have been equally dangerous, and very time-consuming..? The car that backed up was not at fault, but should have stopped to act as a witness, but by the time I turned round, having gone to see to the injured people, he had driven off. In fact, no-one stopped at all. Some people came out of a nearby office and helped to call an ambulance, and the police. I called my wife (Thai), and some friends who lived nearby, to come and help me to deal with the police. Yes, I admit I was in the wrong, as I should never have gone there at that time in the morning..!

[HDRIDER]

I guess this is it???

[notbritish]

ok so the north bound lanes were backed up and you did a u turn to the southbound lane which wasn't backed up and the guy hit you while he was using the southbound lane to go north over the traffic instead of slowing making his way through the traffic? Then he had it coming.

Makes more sense, but you might be an other accident, the one i witnessed(from the picture) happened in the middle of the afternoon and from the angle it was someone getting out of the gas station, doing a u turn from the fast lane to the north bound lanes, the angles are all wrong, you need 2 lanes to turn and be facing the way you are in the picture.

[jjjetski]

Hey all

From the photo I recognize the guy, and the car fits as well. He was coming from the small soi, just after the gas station, trying to make a right-turn towards Chalong Circle. Thai guy on a motor cycle comes flying out of no where (possibly from the gas station) and hits the car on the right front wheel and smashes his head in to wind screen (no helmet). Thai guy was ok after a few days in hospital. Young farang ok as well. Matter got settled in Police station for a few thousand thb. and insurance covered the rest. Nobody got fleeced.

Got the story from the owner of the car (thai girl, good friend) who had lent it out to the young guy. Had to help her take the car to the garage because she couldn't see over the crack in the wind screen. They said 4 weeks to fix.

So a lucky ending, except for my friend who wont have her car for a while